Process and means for switching railroad cars



June 26, 1923. l,460,325

F. w. EAGELSTON PROCESS AND MEANS FOR SWITCHING `RAILROAD CARS Filed Feb. 1l. 1922 WE# 25m/2 By M A TTUR/VEYS Patented June 26, 1923.

FRANK W. EAGELSTON, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

PROCESS AND MEANS FOR SWITCHING RAILROAD CARS.

Application filed February 11, 1922. Serial No. 535,778.

To all 1li/2,0771, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK lV. EAGELsroN, a citizen of the United States, and a resi* dent of Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Processes and Means for Switching Railroad Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in the process and means for switching railroad cars, and it consists in the steps hereinafter disclosed, and in the combinations, con-k structions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a process for switching` cars, such as railroad cars, which will greatly relieve congestion at terminals or yards. l

A further object of my invention is to provide a process for switching railroad cars which will quickly classify cars in a minimum amount of time and with a minimum amount of labor'.

#i further object of my invention is to provide a process for .switching railroad cars which will reduce the number of locomotivesy necessary for the switching operations to a minimum.

further object of vmy invention is to provide a process which makes use of a simple. etiicient, and economical car propelling` means which may be readily installed in an;v switch. yard, and which, when installed, will not prevent the yard from being used .in the ordinary way.

A further object of my invent-ion is to provide a railroad car lifting and carrying device which is adapted to first raise the car from the track, and to then convey the car to any track desired, and to then lower the railroad car onto the desired track.

A further object of my invention is to provide a car moving means which is adapted to move a railroad car in any direction desired from a. predetermined point. 4

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

y invention is illustrated in the accom# panying drawings, forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a switch yard, showing one embodiment of my method operatively applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of one form of a car lifting and carrying means,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the car moving means, and f f Figure 4 is an enlarged section taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

' One means for conveying a railroad car from one track to the other, by lifting the same and placing' it on the desired track, is shown in Figure 2. It will be noted that any means for moving a car from one track to the other, by lifting the same, would be suiiicient for the purpose intended, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the present means. A bridge 1 extends at right angles across the tracks of the yard, and is supported by uprights 2, which in turn. are mounted on pedestals 3. The bridge l carries a traveling crane 4, the cra-ne having downwardly vdepending arms 5, which are adapted to engage with the under side of all the journal boxes 6 of a freight car 7, or the like, so as to lift the samewhen the arms 5 are raised vertically vby pinions 9. The arms 5 are pivoted to racks 8, confined in vertical slides (not shown), which are adapted to be actuated vertically by pinions 9, the pinions in turn being rotated by means not shown, so as to raise or lower the racks 8 at will. A

drum l() is also carried .by the crane 4` and'` has cables 'il wound thereon, the cables being connected to the free ends of the arms 5. It will be apparent that when the drum 1() is rotated, it will swing the arms 5 about their pivots l2 so as to operatively engage with the freight. car 7, or disengage from the freight car 7, and swing to the horizontal position in plane of the pivots 12. The automotive crane 4 is carried and driven in either direction by wheels 13, which in turn are carried by the bridge or support. The crane 4 may be controlled by a 4controller 14, which is disposed in the operators cage 15. It will be apparent from this construction that the car 7 may be lifted fromthe'track 16 and be conveyed to any track parallel therewith, such as the track 17, and then be lowered onto the track 17.

After the car has been lowered onto the desired track, it may be moved in either direction by any means, such as the means disclosed in Figures 3 and il. rThis means comprises a pressure cylinder 1S which is disposed beneath the track 17 so as not to obstruct the ,passage of railroad cars thereover. Asuitable runway, such as one composed of two channel irons 19, and an I- beam 20 disposed therebetween, is placed between the two rails of the track 17. A car moving device or catapult 21 is disposed in the runway formed by the channel irons 19 and the I-beam 20. This deviceV may be of any construction, such as that shown in Figure 4;, in which the bumper 22 is carried by an upright 23, the latter' being' secured to a frame 24:. rlihe frame 211 is provided with rollers 25 at the sides thereof which are adapted to be received in the channel iron 19 and in the I-beam 20. The device 21 is connected by means of a cable 26 to a fixed pin 27, or the like. rEhe cable is also passed around pulley 28 which is carried by the piston rod 29 of the cylinder 1S. It will therefore be apparent that when the piston 30 is moved from the position shown in Figure 3 towards the oppositeend of the` cylinder, it will move the device 21 toward the cylinder. A valve (not shown) `is adapt-ed to control the amount of fluid which enters the cylinder, and to thereby control the speed of the device 21 along the tracks 17. The device .J1 is moved slowly until the bumper 22 engages with the car 7, and then the device is quickly `accelerated until the car is going at the desired or sufficient speed, This speed. may be varied so as to make the car coast for any desired distance. A train-ridermay ride with the car and apply the brake carried by the car so as to bring the car to a stop when it .is in the desired place. lit will be noted in Figure 3 that two of the devices 21. are provided for each track and are adapted to move ythe carin either direction along; the track. These devices are in .lependent units, and either one may be omitted from installation if desired. rilhe device 21 brought back to its first position, or its s .artinxr point` bv means of a drum 31, around wh icha cable 32 is wound` the free end of the cable beine' secured to the device 21, (Y

It will'be obvious that when one ofthe bumpers or devices 21 is used to move the car. the car would strike the other bumper unless that bumper was thrown out of operative position. To this end, I turn the channel iron 19 and the I-beam 2O downwardlv adjacent to the starting' point of the device 21 so that when thel device is in this position, thetop of the, device will be positioned below the top ofthe rails 17 (see Figure et). In` other 'words when the devices 21 of the track are in normal position of rest. they willbe disposed below the rails 1.7 andthe track may therefore be used for ordinary I time.

purposes. Then the device is actuated, it is lirst brought upwardly so as to position the bumper 22 in alinement with the bumper 33 or some other suitable portion of the car so that the bumper 22 will come.into contact with the bumper 33 when the device is moved into engagement with the car.

From `the foregoing descr'ption of the yarious parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily undcrstooifl. lt will be noted that when the crane d is on the ekitension of the bridge beyond the outside of the track, and the devices 21 of each of the tracks are in inoperative position, all of the tracks may be u ed in the ordinary manner. Assume that train of cars 3st enters the yard, and it `is desired to classify the cars. Some of the cars in the train may be rush orders, some may have perishable goods in them, some may be hold orders, some may need repairs, and the rest may need be classified in various classifications. Vith my improved process, the` cars may be quickly transferred from one track on which they enter to the desired track or tracks and into Y desired relative positions in train on lnew track, without the necessity of using either theV switches and ladder tracks of the yard, and without using` more than a single switch locomotive. The car desired to be transferred from the track which it is on to the desired track, is brought beneath the bridge 1 so as to permit the crane 4 to lift the same and to carry it to the desired track. In the diagrammatic view in Figure 1, l have shown a typical terminal in which two of the tracks 35 are for hold orders or for repairs, in which another set of tracks 36 are for making up trains of various classifica` tions, and in which the set of tracks 37 may be used for any other purpose desired. l also show` a track 38 which has no connect ion with the yard, suchas by switches or the like, and which, with my process, any of the cars of the yard may be readily transferred to or from the track. It will further be apparentthat while classifyingr the cars 'to their various tracks by my process, the ladder track and switches are clear and may be used for unrelated movements at the same ln other words, the tracks that are not being used to receive the cars from the train 34, be used to receive other trains, or for any other purpose desired. and cars already classified may be drawn from any track without interferingwith continuous operations of classication. The bridge 1 is preferably, but not necessarily, disposed some distance from either end of the yard, and in such case, divides the yard into practically twice the number of classification tracks as there are tracks in the yard. For instance, if ten tracks are in the yard, a train may be sub-divided into nineteen classifications, since the track on which the train reduces the damage of the car and load duey to bumping, oi' the like. The device 4may be used with a yard of any size, and as many of the devices as desired may be used in a single yard. Thus, ifa yard has forty or more tracks, it may be provided with two bridges which will span twenty tracks, or`

with four bridges which will span ten-tracks, etc. V The size of the yard makes no difference as to the operation of the device, since the switching locomotives are largely done away with, in classification work, thereby obviatingthe increased length of travelof a car when moved from onetrack or train to another by a switch locomotive in a. large yard. When a train of one classification has been made up, the train may be removed from the yard, while the deviceis still classifying cars for other trains. the number of trips per man day of the car riders is greatly increased, since they have no dead travel along ladder tracks in either direction, the yard is only half as wide, and cross movement is unobstructed. This is not the case in the ordinary yards, since the train of cars has to be sent down one track so as to release one car, and then be sent ba ck on the same track, and then be sent forward on another track so as to release a sec ond car. lith the present device, only one car is moved at a time. served that collisions between various freight cars are reduced to a minimum, since the cars are moved without the use of switches, thus avoiding collisions between the switching locomotives or cars and the other locomotives which move through the yard. As heretofore stated, the train may enter any track and be classified therefrom. There are really only three movements to the classification of a car, namely: the disposing of the car on receiving track under the bridge and freeing the car from its train, the, transferring of the car from the' track which it is on to the desired track, and the moving of the car in either direction along the track on which it is disposed. lt is o-bvious that these three operations may be taking place at the same time on three different cars, thereby greatly increasing the efficiency of the system and of the yards. The rush orders, hold orders, or cars for re` Furthermore,

It will also lie obi pairs may beinstantly removed from j thev train with which they enter and be dis-v posed on the desired tracks.

`The device may be readily installed in any yard, and will not interfere with the normal operation of the yard by ordinary methods, since, as heretofore stated, the crane el. may be placed in inoperative position or beyond limit of the tracks, and the moving devices 2l are normally disposed in inoperative position, thus freeing the tracks for ordinary switching purposes. y crane is shown,.but the two ends of the said crane are similarly equipped with elements 5, 8,9, 10, and 1l, as sho-wn in Figure 2.V

As heretofore stated, it is to be noted that the specific means shown in the drawing `for transferring a car from one track to the other, and for moving a car on the desired track, is not essential to the operation of the device. Any means for transferring` a car from one track to the other and for movingA the carv on the track, would be sufficient for the purpose intended.` l therefore do not desire to be confined to the specific means for accomplishing` the required switching.

It will be apparent from theforegoing that by applying this process to any yard,

One end of the` the classification of the cars from one train to another may be accomplished with grea rapidity, thus reducing the travel ofk the cars in the yard to a minimum, and obviati ing yard congestion.

l claim:

l. The herein described process for switching railroad cars which consists in moving a car laterally from one track to a second track, and propelling the car in either direction on said last named track to the desired position thereon. l

2. The herein described process for switch` ing railroad cars which consists in lifting a car from a train of cars on one track, con` veying the car to a second track, propelling the car on said last named track to thedesired position thereon, lifting a car from a train of cars on a third track, conveying said last named car to said second namer track, and propelling said last named ,cari on said second named track to aposition. adjacent to said first named car.

3. rlhe herein described process for switching railroad cars which consists in lifting a car from a train of cars on one track, conveying the carto a second track, propelling stationary means for propelling the car along the track in either direction from a given point.

The herein described process for switching railroad cars which consists in lifting the car from thetrack, conveyingI the carl to the desired-track, lowering the car onto the desired track, and propelling the car in citheil direction along the track to the desired position.

(i. ln a car switching means, a guide meinber disposed between the rails of a track, a car moving` device movably carried by said guide member and being adapted to move in r the direction of the track, and a cylinder having a piston therein, said piston being operatively connected to said car moving' de-4 vice, whereby said device is moved when said piston is actuated.

7. ln a car switching means, a ginde mem'- ber disposed between the rails oi a track, a

car moving' device movably carried by said guide member, a cylinder having` a piston therein, said piston being operatively connected to said car moving device, whereby said device is moved when said piston is actuated, a cable secured to said car moving device, cable actuating means, said guide member being curved downwardly adjacent to one end oit the travel oii said car moving l second car from said first named track or from any other track and conveying the car to said secondnamed track or any other track, and propellingthe second car in either direction on said last named track.

9. A car moving device comprising` a frame adapted to straddle a plurality ot parallel tracks, a car lifting crane movably carried by said frame, vertical racks carried by said crane and adapted to be moved in a vertical plane, arms pivotally carried by the lower ends of said racks, said arms being adapted to extend over the ends of a `freight car, cross beamssecnred to the tree ends oit said arms and being adapted to engage with the ournal boxes of the car, means -for moving said racks upwardly, and means for swinging said arms outwardly.

10. A'car switching means comprising three guide members disposed between the rails ot a track, two car moving devices slidably carried by said gnidcs,4 and being adapted to move cars in opposite directions along the track, two cylinders having pistons therein, said pistons being connected to the devices, and being adapted to move the devices in track.

1l. The herein described process for switching railroad cars which consists in lifting a car from one of a plurality oi parallel tracks, conveying` the car to any one of the tracks, propelling the car on the second track in either -direction to the desired position thereon, lifting a second .car from any one of lthe tracks, conveying the second car to any one oi: the tracks, and propelling` the car on the last named track in either direction to the desired position thereon.

12. The herein described process ot switching cars to make up trains which consists in picking up and movinglaterally individual cars Lfrom the track and in propelH lingthe moved cars successively to the positions desired in the made np train.

13. The herein described process of switching or classifying railroad cars, which consists in lifting any desired car detached from the adjacent cars within the train, conveying the detached car to a desired track, .lowering the car onto the desired track, and propelling' the car in either direction along` the track to a desired position.

14C. A car moving device comprising` a frame adapted to straddle a pluralit-y oi' parallel tracks, a car lifting crane movably carried by said frame, vertical racks carried by said crane and being adapted to move in a. vertical plane, arms pivotally carried opposite Vdirections along the I by the lower ends of said racks, said arms being adapted to extend'over the ends of a treight car, cross beams secured to the iree ends of said arms and being adapted to engage with the journal boxes oi the car, pinions engaging with said racks tor actnating` the latter, a drum, and cables wound on said drum and being connected to the tree ends ot said arms tor swinging said arms out of engagement with said car.

FRANK W. EAGELSTON. 

